Improvement in hoese hai-foeks



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IMPROVEMENT IN HORSE HAY-FORKS.

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'TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: I

Be it known that I, ELIAS RHODES, Jr., of Clyde, in the county of Sandusky, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful improvementsin Hay-Forks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full andcomplete description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing, making a part of this specification, in which i Figure 1 is aview of the fork with the jaws closed.

Figure 2 is a view of the samewith ,the jaws open. 4

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the different views.

The fork consists of three tubular links, A, B, andO, the lower ends ofwhich are pivoted to the jaws D, and the upper ends of A and O to theeross head E whereas the central link B is allowed to slide freelythrough the head, a holebei-ng provided for that purpose. The manner inwhich these links are connected to the jaws and head is us-follows: Athread, a, fig. 1, is cut-in the ends of the tubes, and to which isfitted the shank Z1, by being screwed into it by the stem 0, on which acorresponding thread is cut for that purpose. The ear 0 is thenintroduced into the slotf, in the side of the jaws, and a pin inserted,forming thereby a pivoted joint, as above stated. Each connection of theside links is formed in the samemanner. The connection. of the innerlink to the jaws is made by a slotted head, F, which is also screwedinto' the link 13 in the same manner as the shank in the side links. Theears in the upper ends of the jaws are pinned in the slots of the head,making a pivoted joint, as in the side links above described. G is anarm operating a lug, it, on the inside of the crosshead. H are loops bywhich the fork is suspended. It will be observed that the jaws do notopen directly at the point, but at one side; by this means the point canat all times be kept sharp. It will also be seen that the inside of oneof the jaws is grooved with a corresponding bead on the opposite one,which, on coming together, fit closely into each other, therebypreventing any side movement of them when closed or being thrust intothe bay.

The manner of operating the fork is as follows: The fork on being drawndown to the load is then thrust into the hay. The jaws are preventedfrom opening while passing into the hay by the lug it being forced intothe notch i, by the arm G, to which it is connected as above stated.WVhen in at the desired depth the lug is drawn out ofthe notch bypulling the arm down to the position shown in fig. 1, a cord beingattached to it for that purpose. When the lug is freed from the notch,the central link can be forced down, thereby causing the jaws to spreadout, as shown in'fig. 2. When thus spread the notch j is brought down tothe lug, into which it is lodged, thus preventing the jaws from closingwhile the hay is lifted from the load, and carried over to the bay, orwherever it is wanted. The fork is then tripped by pulling the lug fromthe notch, the weight of the hay causingthe jaws to' close, andconsequently the hay falls into the bay or upon the stack; the fork isthen brought down to the load, and the same operation repeated. The forkmay be constructed with solid links, but

tubular links are preferred for the above reasons.

What I claim as my improvement, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

1. The tubular rods or links A B 0, provided with the shanks I) and headF, constructed and applied as and for thepurpose set forth.

2. The arrangement of the lever-arm G, provided with the lug h, incombination with the cross-head E, tubular links A B O, shanks b, andjaws D, when the several parts are constructed and arranged as and forthe purpose set forth.

ELIAS RHODES, JR.

Witnesses:

, W. H. Bunnrncn,

E. E. Wan-n.

